A fire broke out at Telecom Egypt's offices yesterday, disrupting telecom services.
Amr Talaat, minister of communications and information technology, visited the Ramses Telephone Exchange in downtown Cairo to inspect the damage caused by the fire.
The Ramses Exchange is Telecom Egypt's important "wire centre," carrying not just municipal telecommunications traffic but also serving as the main point of entry for international undersea fiber-optic connections, which are back-hauled from Alexandria landing stations.
During his visit the minister reviewed the technical measures taken to ensure service continuity and contain the fire’s impact, and checked on the injured.
According to the ICT minister, all telecom services are expected to be restored gradually within 24 hours.
He explained that services have been diverted to other exchanges to ensure service continuity.
Talaat denied that Egypt relies on a single telephone exchange, saying that, while the Ramses Telephone Exchange will be out of service for several days, service restoration is continuing via alternative exchanges.
The fire ravaged the ten-story Ramses Exchange, killing four employees and injuring 26 more.
The minister extended his deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and to Telecom Egypt’s leadership and staff, mourning those who lost their lives in the line of duty, according ICT Ministry statement.
It added that Talaat expressed his appreciation to the Civil Protection forces and firefighters for their tireless efforts in containing the fire.
The statement continued: “During his tour, Talaat received a briefing from Telecom Egypt CEO Mohamed Nasr, who stated that the fire initially broke out in a hall on the floor hosting telecom operators—each housed in separate halls—before spreading to other levels due to its intensity.
“He confirmed that the halls containing Telecom Egypt’s equipment are fitted with advanced self-extinguishing systems, which were unfortunately overwhelmed by the magnitude of the fire.
“Following the inspection, Talaat visited hospitals where the injured were transferred, including Al Mounira, Dar Al Fouad, Sidnawy, and the Coptic Hospital. He checked on their condition and instructed that full support and medical care be provided.”
Share